Rotary combustion motor



June 21, 1949. w. A. CATE 2,473,785

ROTARY COMBUSTION MOTOR Filed March 15, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

WILLIAM A. CATE BY r June 21, 1949. w. A. CATE 2,473,785

ROTARY COMBUSTION MOTOR Filed March 15, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

WILLIAM A. CATE By v ; ff/y June 21, 1949. w. A. CATE 2,473,7 5

ROTARY COMBUSTION MOTOR Filed March 15, 1945 I 4 Sheefs-Sheet :5

I INVENTOR.

WILLIAM A CATE June 21, 1949.

Filed March 15, 1945 w. A. CATE $473,785

ROTARY COMBUSTION MOTOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

6 BY U f/zz WILLIAM A, CATE Patented June 21, 1949 UNITED .TSTAT'ES PAT gNT OFFICE i.orty..-ninev .per cent land, Oreg.

to Edward 0. Gate}- Port- Application'March 15, 1945;";Serial'No:'582,937

zclaims.

1 This invention relates, to rotary combustion engines .and is particularly. adapted t0.-.-those burning gasoline, Diesel oiland the like.

Y of power: impulses, eliminating; considerable vibration.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide an engine having greater; iefliciency due to the fact that when the "power is'exerted' against the rotor the power receiving :he'ads associated with the rotor receive powerimpulse-at right angles to the shaft upon which the "rotor'ismounted, thereby exerting the greatest efficiency in'turning' the shaft of the motor.

A further object of my invention is to provide an engine adapted for complete scavenging of the exhaust gases after each power impulse. Due

to the construction of my new and improved motor the air and gases are 'mixed together, and compressed by a compressor formingipart of" the engine,- but separate from the combustion cylinders. This insures acompleteseparation. of

new gases entering the combustion chambers from the old"gases whichhave been previously and completely exhausted from=the motor combustion chambers.

A still further object of "my invention. is to provide an engine adapted to'compress the. fuel by a compressor'mountedon-.the motor shaft,

said rotor of the compressor having a. smaller diameter thanthe rotor. of. the motor receiving the power; impulses thereby'compressing the fuel to a high degree with a minimum of power required'for operating the compressor.

Another object of my invention is. to provide an engine having maximum poweriper. pound of weight.

These and otherincidental objects will be apparent in the drawings, specificationsuand proved rotary motor. t

Figure 2 is an-end-sectional-. view of-my-new and improved motor, taken on line -2-2 of Figparts.

2 Figure. 3 is asectional view, taken; on. line 3--3 oflFigure 1,.looking in.the direction in- ...dicated. and is a-section through the compressor unit for-mixing and'compres'sing theair and fuel; which-will. be delivered. to themain motor. Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional..view,ltaken unlined-4 OfuFiglll'GS 2-.and 3.

--=Figure 5 is l airagmentaryv sectional view -taken on line-E-S of Figure blocking in the direction indicated; illustratingthe rotor having moved to wthe point forreceiving the fuel from the comnpressor.

- '"Figure 6-is a'fragmentaryisectional view taken on line- 6-"6-;-:of Figure 5; illustrating the ports eans manifolds.

PFi'gure '7 is afragmentary sectional view taken 1: .online l -1 0i Figure .3, through another'of the compression heads of the'compressor.

"' In the drawings:

My new and improved engine consistsof cylin- --"-der-'blocks I and 2; havingcylinder heads 3-and 4 mounted together as a single unit as shown in Fig. 1.-"-The cylinder chambers 5 and 6 form 5 the combustion chambers, while the cylinder "chamber 1' forms the compressor cylinder as shownin-Fig. 4."Rotors 8 and 9 are keyed to theshaftlu' running longitudinal of the cylinderassemblies. The shaft I0 is mounted within 3 suitablexbearingsl'l', which are mountedwithin .the cylinder heads3 and 4; The'compressorrotor I2 is also keyedto'the shaft [0' and revolves therewith.

.'- -I1Will first .describe the operation of the compressor unit referring toFig. 3; Movable compression heads .I3, which.may bein the form of vanes, ..-.are. arranged tadially: about the compressor rotor l2 and Within. the cylinder. compression. chamber 1; These compression heads or vanes are-slid- 4Q able withinsuitableguides l4, ewhichhmayebe .formed as part ofthe cylinder castingand are -maintained against the rotor by. springs; [5

, mountedwithin the caps l 6;: said springshaving their outer: ends "bearing against the adjustable .stop '11 and resting on the extension 18 of the vanenorcylinderthead" l3= at' 19: on theirwinner 1 *ends. The-zstops l! are adjustable'and' canbe changed to =varythe pressure applied to -the cylinder-head l3 against the rotor I 2; depending -upon the-.running:' conditi'ons of the'motor. "Intake ports lo -communicate with an annular manifold 23 and the compression chamber III The 2 s manifold-e23 'receives rfuel :from the-carburetor i22 through the'port 2 l.

:zineferring to Figure 3, it willusbenoted that the rotor l2 travels in the direction of the arrow and this movement causes suction within the spaces 24, thereby drawing fuel through the ports 20A, 28B and 28C, but that this action has not yet started with respect to the port 20D according to the position of the rotor I2 in Fig. 3. It will be noted also that the movement of the rotor l2, in the position shown, causes a compression within the spaces 25 and 26. This forces the fuel previously taken in through the ports 28, out through ports 21, through the spring valve 28 and into the manifold 29. The manifold 29 is formed within the cylinder blocks and communicates with the annular manifolds 30 and 3|, shown in Fig. 4. The pressure of the fuel is maintained within the manifolds 30 and 3| until allowed to enter the compression cylinders l and 2.

Referring to Fig. 3, in the cylinder space 32, in the compression chamber 1, the end of the intake from the port 28C is almost completed and as the lobe 33 of the rotor passes under the compression head 34 it will begin to compress the fuel within the space 32, at the same time forcing it out through the port 35 into the manifold 29, thence to the annular manifolds 38 and 3|. It will be noted that there are four compression strokes in one complete revolution of the rotor l2, although I do not wish to be limited to any special number of compression strokes.

I will now describe the operation of the power rotors 8 and 9 within the cylinders and 9. Referring to Fig. 2, I have illustrated the construction of the cylinder 6 and the rotor 8 which is illustrative of both of the cylinders and rotors. According to this construction, three movable combustion heads 36, 31 and 38 working against the surface 39 of the rotor 8. These movable combustion heads work within guides 48 and are caused to follow the surface 39 of the rotor 8 by positive action. As best shown in Fig. 4 rocker arms 4| are pivotally mounted at 42 to the upright lugs 43 forming part of the cylinder casting. One end of each of rocker arms 4| has a cross pin. 44 working within a slot 45 of one of the combustion heads 36, 37 and 38. The opposite end of each of the rocker arms has a cross pin 48 working within a slot 41 on the upper end of the push rod 48. The lower end 49 of the push rod 48 rides on the cam 5|]. The cam 50 is keyed to the shaft I8 and is so designed as to cause the rocker arm assembly to maintain the combustion heads against the surface 39 as the rotor is revolved. In Figure 2, the operatin cam 58 is shown by dotted lines.

I will now describe the operation of the motor. Referring to Figure 5, the rotor 8 is shown in an advanced position from that shown in Figure 2. The rotor is shown in a position to receive a charge of fuel from the port 5|, which registers with the annular manifold 3|, as heretofore described. Fuel rushes through the port 5| from the manifold 3 I, which, as stated before, is under constant fuel pressure. The fuel then enters the cross manifold 52 within the rotor and thence through the ports 53 into the combustion chamber 54 at which time it is ignited. As the rotor turns the port 5| is closed and the expansion takes place against the combustion head 36 and the surface 55 of the rotor, forcing the rotor around in the direction of the arrow.

. Referring now to Figure 2, it will be noted that, according to the position shown, expansion is taking place in space 56 and that within space 51 exhaust gases are being expelled therefrom through the exhaust port 58 and out the manifold 59. The combustion head 38 deflects the exhaust gases within the space 51 out through the port 58 until the lobe 99 of the rotor passes the port 58 as is the case of the lobe I00 at the upper portion of Figure 2. This is an important feature of my new engine, insuring complete scavenging of burned gases from the firing chambers after the power has been extracted therefrom.

I will now describe the complete cycle of operation. As the compression rotor I2 revolves, gases are taken in through the ports 28 from the carbureter 22 together with the proper air mixture. This mixture is compressed and delivered through the ports 21 into the manifolds 29 to the annular manifolds 30 and 3| of the motor blocks I and 2. Next, it is released through the ports 5| into the manifolds 52 of the rotors 8 and 9 and delivered into the combustion chambers 54 and ignited, driving the rotor 8 in the direction of the arrow due to the expansion of gases against the combustion heads 36, 3! or 38 and surfaces 55 of the lobes 99 and I00 the rotors 8 and 9. As the rotor travels further the cam surface 39 will raise the combustion head at the same time decreasing the area within the combustion chamber and forcing out the exhaust gases as heretofore described from the space 51.

I have illustrated a cooling jacket surrounding my motor, which may be of the conventional form. Referring to Figure 4, the rotors themselves may be lubricated and cooled by a supply of cooling medium entering the motor block by way of the supply line 68. This cooling and Inbricating liquid leads from the manifold 6| through the ports 62 and into the core 63 of the shaft l0 and out the rotors. Outlets 65 allows the lubricating and cooling medium to circulate through the motor.

I do not wish to be limited to the exact mechanical construction as illustrated, as other forms of mechanical equivalents may be used still coming within the scope of my claims.

I claim:

1. A rotary internal combustion engine comprising in combination, a casing, two power cylinders and a compression cylinder axially aligned in said casing, said compression cylinder being between said power cylinder and having an outlet peripherally thereof and externally of said casing, a shaft mounted in said casing axially of said cylinders, rotors mounted in each of said cylinders and secured to said shaft, abutment members movably mounted in each of said cylinders to cooperate with the respective rotors mounted therein, ignition means in said power cylinders for firing fuel therein to drive the respective rotors therein, a fuel manifold encircling said shaft within said casing laterally adjacent said compression cylinder and having communication therewith through a common wall, supply manifolds in said casing respectively between said power cylinders and said compression cylinder, said supply manifolds respectively having communication with said power cylinders and having inlets opening externally of said casing on either side of said compression outlet, and a compression manifold in the form of a hood mounted on said casing and connecting said compression cylinder outlet and said supply manifold inlets.

2. An engine as defined in claim 1 wherein means for moving said power cylinder abutment members in timed relation to the rotation of the power cylinder are operatively connected with said shaft within cavities within said casing, said cavities being centrally of said supply manifolds and. between said power cylinders and said fuel manifold and compression cylinder respectively.

WILLIAM A. GATE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Friend Feb. 23, 1909 Number Number 

